Humes. Sectio. 13.
These things being thus, I pray you (good M. Hill) seeing you would haue vs vndoubtedly to beleeue that Christ descended into hell. Tell vs vndoubtedly to what end he should descend thither. I trust you will not teach vs neither Augustine neither Ieroms lesson, that he went thither to deliuer prisoners. As for that new les∣son that he went thither to triumph, that is a base de∣uise to send him thither to triumph, who had conque∣red hell on the crosse. For my owne part, I haue often∣times read the name of hell ioyned with shame and ig∣nominy, but to this day I neuer hard it ioyned with tri∣umph* 1.1 and glory. But be it so, and tell me if you can, how Christ who was yet in the graue and bands of death could triumph ouer hell. Is it likely that he could tri∣umph before the victory? You adde two other causes to binde the deuill and to deliuer vs from hell. You bring vs many places of scripture to confirme this geare Gen. 3, 15. The seed of the woman shall breake the serpents head. Osee. 13, 15. O death I will be thy death, O hell I will be thy victory. 1. Cor. 15, 55. O death where is thy sting, O hell where is thy victory. In all which places there is not a syllable sounding that Christ descended into hell.* 1.2 As for his triumphing ouer hell, we neuer denied it, and doo auouch that he perfourmed, that most gloriouslye by the power of his Godhead, which did present his most noble victory ouer his enemies, hell, and death, both in heauen, earth and hell, without his bodily pre∣sence.